Hay-tedder



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. P. A. SPIGER.

(No Model.)

HAY TEDDER. v

- No. 350,566. Patented Oct. l2, 1886.

(No Model.)

P-A. SPICERI 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

HAY TBDDER.

No. 350,566. Patented Oct. 12, 1886.

N. ParrasA Pmm-Lnhngfapxm. wnsmngnm 0.o.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PRATT SPICER, OF MARSHALL, MICHIGAN.

HAY-TEDDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f LetterStPatent N0. 350,566, dated October 12, 1886. v

Application filed September 16, 1885. Serial No. 177,265. (No model.)

.To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, PRATT A. SPIOER, of Marshall, in vthe county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Hay-Tedders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

rlhis invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the construction of hay-tedders.

' The invention consists in the construction of and means employed for regulating` the lift or stroke of the forks; in the construction of `the forks and their connections; in the peculiar construction of the lever for regulating the position of the frame, and in the peculiar construction, arrangement, 'and combination of parts, all as hereinafter fully set forth.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved tedder. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the engagement of the driving mechanism. Fig. 4 is similar view with parts disengaged. Fig. 5 is a detached perspective view of one of the forks and its connections. Fig. Gis a sectional elevation of the lever device for raising and lowering the frame.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, A represents the axle, upon which are mounted the rotating traction-wheels B, each of which is provided with an internal gear-wheel, C, designed to engage with a pinion, D, upon the outer ends of the crank-shafts E, which are journaled in proper bearings in the rearwardly-projecting bars of the frame F.

rlhe axle A, near its outer ends, and preferably just within the side barsof the frame,

is supported by the arms G, which latter are hung upon pins a, which project inwardly' from bearing-plates H, secured rigidly to the side bars of the frame, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. The bottom face (immediately below these pins) of the bearing-plates H is convex in form, as shown. Swinging supports for the axle may be provided, if desired, at any intermediate points between the ends, although an ordinary swinging bracket or hanger at each end ofthe axle will answer the purpose. About mid-length of the axle, or at a point conyenient to the driver, there is secured a lever, I, which is designed to engage with the notched quadrant or arch J, rising from the frame in such manner that as this leveris moved forward the axle will be -projected to the rear, carrying with it its drivewheels and gear, disengaging the same from the pinion D upon the crankshaft, while the Weight of the machine rests upon the top of the axle, bearing on the bearing-plates H immediately in rear of their convex faces. A reverse movement of the lever causes the axle to move forward. to the opposite side of the convex bearingplates, and compels an engagement. between the gears of the driving mechanism, as is clearly shown in Figs. 3 and et.

J represents the fork handles or stales, which are properly journaled upon the cranks of the crankshaft E, to the upper ends of which are pivotally secured the rear ends of the radiusbars K, the opposite ends of such radius-bars being pivotally secured or hinged to a plate, L,

the ends of which rest and slide upon the longitudinal bars of the frame beneath guide-plates c, each plate having secured to it the radiusbars of the forks that are secured upon its corresponding section of crank-shaft, (the number shown in the drawings being three,).and and as the crank-shaft consists of two sections, cach being driven independently of the other, it necessarily follows that both sides or sections of the machine must be constructed alike. M is a rock-shaftj ournaled in proper bearings in the frame, and has secured to it two or more craiilcarnis, N, which are connected by means of links O to the plates L, and this rock-shaft is also provided with a lever, P, designed to engage with a toothed rack, P. rIhe lever P coming up within easy reach of the driver, it can be operated by him for controlling or operating and regulating the lift, stroke, or kick of the tedder-forks-as, for instance, if the grass being operated upon is light, it does not require as much force to kick or shake it out loosely as if it were heavy; hence, when tedding light grass, or grass which has been gone over with the tedder and made partly into hay, the operator moves the lever Prearward, which draws the plate L rearward, and necessarily thereby throws rearward the upper ends of the fork-stales, so that the lower ends of the forks are thrown well forward,and

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the movement made stirs up the hay or grass lightly instead of throwing it high in the air. If the grass is heavya reverse motion is given to the lever, which necessarily draws the upper ends of the fork-stales forward and raises the points of their respective forks, so that in discharging or kicking the hay or grass is thrown higher into the air, and is separated and spread.

R represents the spring-forks, the upper ends of whichare secured to the forkstales J', from whencethey pass in a curve to and around the spools R', and thence in a reverse curve and spreading to their ends, as shown. These spools B are pivotally secured between the upper ends of the radial links S, the opposite ends of which are pivotally secured to the lower ends of the fork-stales. A spiral spring, or one like S', C-shaped, may be secured to the fork-stales, the free end of such spring being beneath the spools R'.

lu operation, when the tedder is passing over uneven ground, stumps, stones, or other obstructions which are sometimes found in the way and are liable to break the forks, the radial links S,turning upon their pivotal points inthe lbrkstales,admit of the necessary ilexibility of the forks under great pressure,whilcas the forks recover their normal positions, such radial arms control to a certain extent. the spring of the forks until they are arrested by the impact of the 'spools It' upon the checksprings S', or, if no cheekspring is used, the reverse spring motion of the forks will put them in position.

T represents the shafts, and 'll' a elevis to which the drawing fo ree is attached, such shafts being pivotally secured to the frame in the ordinary manner. To the front bar of the frame F, and at about its longitudinal center, there is pivotall y secured a link,U, the upper end of which is pi votall y secured to a spring bar, V, the opposite end of said bar being secured to a lever, C the lower end of which is fulcrumed in proper bearings upon the frame ofthe shafts. Upon one side of this lever XV, at its lower end, is pivotally secured in proper bearings a spring latch-plate, X, in the form ofi a bell-crank lever, the larger and vertical arm of which being substantial ly of the form shown in Fig. 3, while beneath its shorter and hori zontal arm' is placed a spring, d. The vertical portion of this bell-crank lever is provided with a series of holes, Fig. 3,with which the pin c,proiecting from the side of the lever NV, is designed to engage as such lever is adjusted by the operator.

Pivotally secured to the lever lV is a lever, Y, the lower end, of which lies between the latch-plate X and the lever NV. lVhen the operator desires to change the position of the frame, he grasps the upper ends of the levers XV and Y in his hand, compressing the lever Y against the lever V, thus projecting the lower end of the lever Y and forcing the latchplate out of engagement with the pin e, when he moves the lever in the proper direction to raise or lower the frame, and releases the lever Y, when the latch-plate re-engages with the pin of the lever NV. By this construction the frame can readily be tilted upon the axle, so as to regulate the height ofthe forks from the ground as may be desired.

rlhe spring-bar V, forming the connection between the link U and lever WV, is for the purpose of allowing the frame F to have a limited amount of elasticity or give, to avoid springing the crank-shaft, as might occur in V passing over obstructions or uneven `ground with which the forks come in contact. lhe tendency in such cases is to elevate -the rear end of the frame and spring the crank-shaft; but this is obviatcd by providing a flexible connection at the front of the frame, which is depressed as the rear end is elevated under such conditions. The forks, being supported by the radial links S, are practically rigidly supported under all the ordinary conditions of tedding;7 but when the forks come in contact with an obstruction of any size, and are called upon to sustain labor greater than that of tcdding, the :forks can readily recoil or recede from the obstruction by forcing the links back toward the f'orkstales. g

lf desired, stops YV may be secured at the ends of the spools lft','that will extend over the laps of the forks at that point, so as to prevent the forks from uneoiling in their reaction.

I deem it important that the forks be arranged in groups, each group independent of the other, thus permitting the turning of a corner without danger of twisting or breaking-- the machine, the group of forks farthest lfrom the wheel upon which the machine is turning continuing to work, while the other group will remain inoperative, as will be readily understood.

Vhat I. claim as my invention is l.. In a hay-tedder, the combination of the forks arranged in groups, a sliding bar for each grou p,and radius-bars pivotall y secu red to the stales of the forks and to the said sliding bars, with the means, substantially as described, for simultaneously adjusting said bars for regulating the lift or stroke of the tedderforks, substantially as described.

2. ln a hay-tedder, the combination of the forks R and their stales, said forks being ar ranged in groups, and each group carried by an independent crank-shaft, with the sliding bars ll, .one foreach group of forks, the radiusbars K, pivotally connected with said bars and stales, and means, substantially as described, for simultaneously adjusting said bars for regulating the liftor stroke ofthe tedder-forks, as

set forth.

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ln a hay-tedder, the combination of the fork-stales J', forks It, and radial links S, sub stantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4t. In a haytedder, the combination of the forkst-ales J', forks R, radial links S, and

spools R', substantially as and for the purposes set forth.4 y

5. In a hay-tedder, the combination of the fork-stelles J', forks R, radi/al links S, spools latoh plate X, provided with a series of holes vradapted to engage with such pin e and retain its lever in its adjusted position, substantially as specified. I5

7. In a hay-tedder, the combination, with the radial links S, spool R', and fork R, of the Y stop W ou said-spool, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

PRATT A. SPIGER.

Witnesses:

H. S. SPRAUGE,

E. SOULLY. 

